The Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante Interview – General Hospital

It’s going to be sizzling summer of storylines. That is the hope of General Hospital’s head writers, Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante. The scribes are in the midst of launching several mysteries, arcs, and couplings on the Daytime Emmy Award-winning drama series, in addition to bringing in some intriguing cast acquisitions to the Port Charles canvas. Since Shelly and Jean took over the reins of the GH writing team back in August of 2015, fans have definitely felt some shifts in the construction of scenes, the interactions of characters, and the overall rhythm of the show. And of note: Altman and Passanante are the first female head writers of the long-running ABC soap juggernaut in more than a decade.

On-Air On-Soaps chatted with Shelly (pictured bottom right) and Jean (pictured top right) not only to get a preview of what to look forward to as the hotter days are upon us, but to gain some insight into their storytelling decision-making. From the state of Julexis, where Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) has just been arrested for the murder of Carlos, to Brad (Parry Shen) and Lucas (Ryan Carnes) finally having some screen time and saying their “I do’s’, to just what is Nikolas’ (Tyler Christopher) plan and disappearance all about, to what on earth is going on with Finn (Michael Easton), and if/how does it dovetail into the mystery deaths at the hospital, to the highly-anticipated return of Ingo Rademacher (Jax), as his on-screen daughter Josslyn’s mysterious kidney donor story gets well under way and more, there is plenty for the ladies to shed some light on.

As daytime fans knows, even writers best laid plans can go slightly awry. So, Shelly and Jean discuss the sudden temporary recasts for the roles of Maxie (Molly Burnett) and Nikolas (Nick Stabile) and how, if it all, it will impact story. Plus, the upcoming arrival of former One Life to Live favorite, Bree Williamson (Claudette) who will certainly cause some on-screen commotion. They also share their first time experience helming story for the 2016 Nurses’ Ball, an event that has become a staple of the soap over decades. And they give us their purview on the romance status of Port Charles’ duos: Jason (Billy Miller) and Sam (Kelly Monaco), Franco (Roger Howarth) and Liz (Rebecca Herbst), and Dillon (Robert Palmer Watkins) and Kiki (Hayley Erin). With so much tragedy in the news over the past ten days, Jean and Shelly also reveal how they try to put into their storytelling, when applicable, an important social message, such as they did with the arms deal storyline. You’ll read why and how. So, let’s do a 360 around Port Charles, and take a look at the stories of summer 2016.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

There was recent news that GH favorites Kirsten Storms (Maxie) and Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) had to be temporality replaced by Molly Burnett and Nick Stabile. When you are faced with a sudden recast in the middle of the story you are telling, is it then difficult as a writer to stay on course with story? The great news GH fans learned last week was Kirsten is on her way back sooner than later.

JEAN:

I think we have certainly both had a voice on how it is handled. There have been times in our experience where a decision was made, when something like that comes about, to not play the character. On the other hand, sometimes you find yourself in a position in storytelling where you don’t want to let the story drop, because it’s going somewhere, and there are a lot of other characters involved, and that was the case here. We needed to keep things going with both stories, and with both characters.

SHELLY:

Certainly, it’s a challenge when you are writing for the character, and not necessarily thinking about the actor as you’re telling the story, but in these cases, both Kirsten and Tyler really help inform those roles. We had to keep that in mind, but as Jean said, we did know we had to move forward with story, and we anticipated the return of Kirsten, and we are very happy about that, of course. Soap audiences accept this (temporary recasts) and understand this, and for that we are grateful.

MICHAEL:

Did either of you have a say on the casting of Nick Stabile and Molly Burnett?

Courtesy/ABC

JEAN:

In this case, the choices were introduced to us, and it seemed fine. There was not a long discussion period.

SHELLY:

No, it was pretty expedient, but we are happy with the choices that were made.

MICHAEL:

I can only imagine, as the head writers of the show, where in the case of the character of Nikolas, you have crafted this story where he is believed dead, and then you have a casting hiccup! Tyler’s Nikolas was on a plane one day, and the next day … poof … it’s the temp Nik! (Laughs)

JEAN:

(Laughs) Interestingly, we were in a place in story where the transition to the temporary Nikolas will be as favorable as possible under the circumstances.

Courtesy/ABC

SHELLY:

The timing was really funky, but the next arc of the story will be fine. (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Brad and Lucas’ wedding vows were set to air after a prior pre-emption, and then the Orlando mass shooting tragedy happened right before the nuptial episode aired. Their vows had even more of an emotional pull given the horrific nature of events that weekend in Orlando. I know, Jean, you have been vocal on social media over this.

JEAN:

Obviously, it was a hideous tragedy, and in some places the fact that it was an LGBT club has been left out of the headlines. I find that disgraceful. Does it make it worse for people to think that? I don’t know, it’s a very complicated story. You know that I’ve (and Shelly has been too) been on other shows where the issue of the couple being gay is sort of what the story is about. Since we have been here at GH that has not been the issue. It’s a given, and just understood. So, it’s very interesting to me that as we thought of Brad and Lucas getting married, it was a wedding. It wasn’t a gay wedding. Love is love is love. I think that was the proper way to position it, and fortunate in the light of the tragedy in Orlando.

SHELLY:

We wanted to give this couple their joy, and the timing was unfortunate due to real life, but to also give them a sense of hope and joy for humanity, and we hope that came through.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

Will viewers continue to see Brad and Lucas? The concerns for fans for the duo are here they are being trotted out for a few episodes, and then not heard of again for months and months.

SHELLY:

We love them, and we love them individually, and as a couple.

JEAN:

They are very important to the canvas, obviously to the show, because they are connected to the main characters.

SHELLY:

And they are both are connected to the hospital, and we always enjoy using them, and would like to use them as much as possible.

MICHAEL:

But part of that has to do with them being recurring characters, as opposed to contract players, right? And, you have to write for your contract players first and foremost.

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

We do see, sometimes in social media, when fans ask: “Where is this character, or where is that character?” We know they don’t know all the ins and oust and limitations on who is on contract, and who is not.

MICHAEL:

GH seems like it has an ever-expanding number of characters in the cast. Many fans comment that the writers are making the cast to big, to the detriment of the other characters you already have.

JEAN:

We have an enormous cast, and sometimes it’s our own fault, (laughs) because we bring in a character that we want to use for a particular story, and then they become very useful, and suddenly we have acquired a new one!

SHELLY:

We have been actively trying to do more umbrella stories to involve more players in the same stories. With such a large cast, we want to have more cohesiveness where it’s not, “Ok, today we are going to play these people over there in that story, and those people over there in that other story.” While that is true, that characters are in their own stories, the stories tend to overlap more.

MICHAEL:

Photo Credit: Jeff Lorch

What did you think of the casting of Bree Williamson in the role of Claudette? She is also on recurring status with the show, from what I understand.

JEAN:

She is recurring. I have to say we were absolutely thrilled, because both of us, when we started thinking of this character thought of Bree Williamson!

SHELLY:

Frank Valentini (executive producer, GH) said to us, ‘What kind of a character do you see Claudette as?’ And we answered, “Bree Williamson!” We didn’t realize we would be lucky enough to get Bree Williamson! We really did think “a Bree Williamson” type.

MICHAEL:

What qualities about Bree Williamson made you feel she would be a perfect fit for the role of Claudette?

JEAN:

Courtesy/ABC

She is extremely magnetic, charming, and beautiful. Bree can convince you of anything, and in the story, we basically have two men who are in love with her. They are both smart men, but they have both been, to some extent, manipulated by her. We need someone who could make it real, and Bree is so good at that.

SHELLY:

Bree has a very intelligent, and sexy quality to her, and that is what we saw in this character.

MICHAEL:

The Griffin/Nathan/Maxie/Claudette quadrangle will be playing though the summer. You always hear the networks telling that their soaps need to play younger, and play younger characters to appeal to the kids out of school, etc. But, I have always found that does not reflect in the ratings, and honestly, kids don’t want to see the teen scene! They want to see the main, and veteran characters they love. What is your philosophy on that for outlining summer stories?

JEAN:

There was definitely a period where all of the networks felt we needed to be pushing young people, young people, and more young people in the summer. I think we have all come to feel, as you do, that while it’s important to play our young characters at a time when there is an available young audience, and at a time when the young characters are hanging out and not necessarily in school. It’s important, but it’s not a deal breaker.

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

We all know when we were young we didn’t only watch shows that featured people our age. However, we cleverly are in the middle of telling story that involves our younger players – Morgan (Bryan Craig), Kiki, Dillon, and Kristina (Lexi Ainsworth) – and so they will all definitely be featured through the summer.

MICHAEL:

When did you decide you were going to make Griffin Munro (Matt Cohen), Doctor/Priest?

JEAN:

We always knew that.

SHELLY:

We were fleshing out the character, and we were looking for what would make him unique.

MICHAEL:

So last month, viewers saw your hard work during the 2016 Nurses’ Ball episodes. Being your first one as head writers of the show, with all the moving parts, did you find it daunting?

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

Yes, it was daunting. (Laughs)

JEAN:

But, we have a great writing team, and they have written a lot of Nurses’ Ball’s. Our main concern is that we kept story going, and that we felt certain things were coming to some sort of climax, and that other things were taking a left turn and were unexpected, while presenting the Nurses’ Ball at the same time. So, that was what we were going for.

MICHAEL:

When you watched the Nurses’ Ball back, was there a moment, or a musical number that touched you the most, or had the most emotional impact for you?

SHELLY:

For me, it was Franco coming to Jake’s (Hudson West) aid during the song, and getting the kid over his fear, and Nina’s (Michelle Stafford) reaction, and Jason and Liz’s reaction … that was my favorite.

JEAN:

Courtesy/ABC

For me, just seeing Robin (Kimberly McCullough) there, and Anna (Finola Hughes) there, and seeing little Emma (Brooklyn Rae Silzer) all grown up, and now being such a mature performer. I don’t think there were two more adorable people alive than Ned (Wally Kurth) and Emma when they performed “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart.” It was fun and adorable, but also stirring, because the Nurses’ Ball started with Robin, and it was interesting to see three generations of Scorpio women.

SHELLY:

I also liked Anna’s dance with Duke, even though it was actually after the ball was over.

MICHAEL:

The hankie-moment for me was the sequence that started with Robin’s speech, which then led into the closing signature number of “You’re Not Alone”, and when Sabrina (Teresa Castillo) joins Amy (Risa Dorken) and Epiphany (Sonya Eddy) on stage, and then the cutaway to the hospital with Lucas fighting for his life on a ventilator, and Bobbie and Brad holding hands standing vigil by his bedside.

JEAN:

Courtesy/ABC

Seeing Bobbie (Jackie Zeman) in the opening number, and then seeing her by Lucas’ hospital bedside later had a great feel to me. You know well that we have been trying to include the hospital more into story, and so it was important for us that the hospital could still be a part of the Nurses’ Ball.

MICHAEL:

When did you make the decision to try a Dillon and Kiki romantic pairing? Robert Palmer Watkins performance of Shawn Mendes’ hit “Stitches” was another favorite number of mine at the ball, and obviously kicked the Killon feelings up a notch!

JEAN:

We thought of it prior to the Nurses’ Ball obviously, when we saw them in scenes at the Metro Court Hotel together. We thought it was interesting to us that Kiki has such a complicated relationship with Morgan, and he was locked up at the Freedman clinic.

SHELLY:

Not only was he unavailable, but he pushed Kiki away!

Courtesy/ABC

JEAN:

Right, and now there is this cute guy who has helped her get readjusted to life after being nearly killed. Morgan is pretty much responsible for that in some ways. But this just feels like one of those things that seems inevitable, but it’s not without its complication.

SHELLY:

I think we can safely say it is a triangle between Dillon/Kiki/Morgan that will play out.

MICHAEL:

Let’s talk about the Jason reveal, and the character finally getting his memories back. It went on for a very, very long time. Do you feel it played out too long? Did you, as writers, feel trapped on how to get to the other side of the story … Or, did you plan all along that the crash involving the transport of Carlos would be the moment that jogged Jason’s brain back tosome semblance of normal?

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

We were always looking for the right moment, because up until that moment we kept saying to ourselves, “You know what? Jason now knows his name, and he has found love with the proper woman, and he has his children, but he doesn’t really need those memories.” So, we always knew there would come a moment when he would need to call upon those memories for some reason. And then, we were dovetailing two stories, and just happened to find that moment. To be honest, it wasn’t something we were planning for months – that at the moment of the crash, and the escape of Carlos (Jeffrey Vincent Parise) that it would be when Jason would get his memory back. It was more a matter of: we had the actual collision planned, and we thought, “Jason’s got to save Dante (Dominic Zamprogna)!” He needs his old skills and memories. So, we found what we felt was an organic way for him to have them. We also still believe that just having the memories back, doesn’t automatically make him the old Jason. He has lived a very complete life since losing those memoires, and we try to show that at every juncture that Jason is a different kind of person now. We can’t negate what he has been through since he last left the canvas and came back. The recovery of his memories is about making him more of a complete character.

MICHAEL:

So, you didn’t feel hard pressed to give Jason his memories back?

SHELLY:

At one point, we thought, what if Jason never gets his memories back? It really was about that we thought this crash, and Dante being injured, was indeed a really good moment to do it.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

When did you come up with the notion of ‘let’s see what happens if we pair Franco with Liz?’

SHELLY:

Sometimes in the writer’s room, it’s really a matter of saying: “What if?” Then we fill in the blanks. It’s an extremely unlikely pairing that we thought could be interesting. Initially, before we saw them as a couple, we did see Franco as someone who could be in little Jake’s orbit relating to Elizabeth and Jason’s son in a professional way. It was out of that which we put in him in Liz’s orbit, and then came our “Hmm. What if?” moment.

JEAN:

Sometimes it’s so much fun to pair people who seem so unlikely, than people who do seem likely.

MICHAEL:

Do you like what you are seeing on-screen with Franco/Liz?

JEAN:

They are both such terrific actors, and they both have interesting chemistry. They both are a little different around each other, than they are with other people.

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

This is obvious in no way a simple relationship, and given their shared history, not only their individual history, that we are going to take our time and explore every facet of it.

MICHAEL:

For the time being can we call it as Jason and Sam are together … or is this going to continually get mixed and matched? What would you tease to the JaSam fans for the summer?

SHELLY:

Jason and Sam are going to be on their big adventure together. They are together. We don’t want Jason waffling between women at this moment. It was such a journey for Jason to find his way back to Sam, and as well as such a journey for Sam to get him back, that we do want to give them the joy and happiness we feel that couple deserves … for now (laughs). There is always that phrase, “For now”.

MICHAEL:

You have had to flesh out the character of Hayden, and build a back-story for Rebecca Budig, since when the character came to the canvas and not much was known about her at all. When did you decide to make Hayden the daughter of a Bernie Madoff-type?

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

I know it was one of the first things we had discussed, and had been thinking about.

JEAN:

We were trying to figure out who this woman was, since she showed up in Port Charles sort of anonymous and under these circumstances, and what would make her gravitate toward making money in a certain way, and coming in to make money by pretending to be married to Jason. We thought it would be interesting to use a contemporary reference so that people would understand about feeling like a pariah, because of something you didn’t do yourself, but being attached to a great national scandal that makes you feel isolated, and alone, and guilty by association, and it made it very interesting to us.

SHELLY:

And Rebecca Budig as the actress brings a real shrewdness and sense of class that seemed right for her to be playing the character in that way.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Are we to believe that Hayden truly loves Nikolas?

SHELLY:

We certainly do believe that Hayden was extremely torn, and that she really did fall for him, and that was what we were playing when she didn’t know how to proceed with the papers, and all of that. When Nikolas discovered what she was trying to do with the fortune, she was as heartbroken as he was that they couldn’t get past that. As we all know, people who were in love might fall out of love when certain circumstances force their hand. We do believe there was a moment for them. It’s Scarlett and Rhett – they were at cross purposes.

MICHAEL:

We now know Nikolas is alive. Is he going through such a deception to get back at Jason?

SHELLY:

Nikolas was in pretty hot water. He did try to have Hayden killed, and he could lose an awful lot. So he came up with a very creative solution for that. That is what we are trying to tell, and in so doing he is also to tack on some payback.

MICHAEL:

For who? Jason or Hayden?

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

Well, that is the question! It appears to be one, but it turns out to be the other. The audience does don’t know.

MICHAEL:

Alexis and Julian (William deVry) story has got Julexis fans in a knot! She gets arrested for the murder of Carlos, not hubby! Do you want us to believe that underneath it all Julian loves this woman?

SHELLY:

Julian definitely loves Alexis, but his whole world is crumbling. He has so much to lose – not only a small child, but he has built something. He is a desperate man. I don’t think the love that he had for Alexis, and still has, despite all the “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” they are doing to each other right now… is just going away.

JEAN:

Julian is who he is, and he still has done what he has done, and he was raised as he was raised, so certain things come into play as well. But as Shelly says, he certainly does love Alexis.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

Now that Alexis is arrested for murdering Carlos, does Julian want Alexis to take the blame? He told her that all she has to do is stand trial, because she won’t be convicted.

SHELLY:

In an ideal world, he does not want her to take the blame for something that he has done, so he is in a bit of a quandary after her arrest. He is going to make decisions that will affect both of them.

MICHAEL:

It seems like the show is resetting Julian on a dark path, but are you really?

SHELLY:

All I think we can say is Julian is a desperate man whose past has caught up with him. So we can’t simply ignore that before he found love, and decided to make a change in his life with Alexis, that he was the head of a crime family, and had to do some pretty dastardly things back then.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

Nancy Lee Grahn’s recent scenes have been fantastic. It’s nice to see her given some material that truly showcases her.

JEAN:

She has been wonderful. Both Nancy and William have!

MICHAEL:

Another major story this summer is centered on who is the mystery donor of Josslyn’s kidney. Thus, Jax (Ingo Rademacher) is on his way back!

JEAN:

The story starts sort of that way, and then it morphs into something else. And yes, that is why Jax is coming back as part of that, because of the child he shares with Carly.

MICHAEL:

Did the two of you sit down and craft a story with the intent of trying to woo Ingo back to GH for a big arc?

Courtesy/ABC

SHELLY:

We certainly hoped. We knew he was Josslyn’s father, and would need to figure into this story. So it was us saying, “Can we possibly have Jax back?” And we were thrilled to find that we could. We would like to see more of him, too!

MICHAEL:

Michael Easton returned to General Hospital in yet another incarnation; this time as Dr. Hamilton Finn. I know he had input into shaping the character, but how did it come about that Finn was realized and came on the scene?

SHELLY:

We knew we had the good fortune of getting him back, and then we created this new character for him. After that, we did have a meeting with Michael, who was completely onboard and understood what we had in mind. It is always wonderful when you think something in your head and then you see it on screen. Michael got it and went with it, and brought his thoughts to it. We were all on the same page, and we just love what he has been doing with this character.

Courtesy/ABC

MICHAEL:

And Roxy, his pet lizard? Who came up with that?

SHELLY:

I think it was Jean!

JEAN:

Yup, I wanted him to have a lizard. We wanted a thing to set him apart and make him a distinctive character, and who knows how that lizard could impact story as we move along!

MICHAEL:

This week, Finn told Hayden that he is dying, and that he contracted a disease while he was traveling. According to him, he is really on a drug protocol in an effort to keep him stable, which is thus how he explained away the syringe and vial he has that was found in his locker, and that he was also taken to task for by Monica (Leslie Charleson). Recently, Finn’s motives were also seriously in question after two mysterious hospital deaths occurred, and Lucas received an injection to the neck by a mysterious assailant. Will we finally learn just what exactly Finn is shooting up … and what he is ultimately up to?

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

Yes, but is there also a deeper story? Will the secrets Finn is keeping continue to get him in trouble at the hospital? That is part of this. We will continue to play the mystery. Now, this does tie-in to the mysterious deaths in the hospital, but is that the story? Does Finn actually have another motive for showing up suddenly in Port Charles? Now, I’m not saying, Michael Fairman, that he does. (Laughs) I’m just saying that yes, the stories are at this point, seeming to be part and parcel of the same thing.

MICHAEL:

On the surface, and from the looks of it, you are telling three mysteries over the summer: the Nikolas mystery, the hospital mystery, and the organ mystery?

SHELLY:

Once we revealed that Nikolas is alive, that mystery will unfold rather quickly and lead us into a different adventure. The organ donor mystery will also take on a different quality, while the hospital murders are the more traditional mystery.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Let’s talk about the Corinthos family. I got roasted by the fans for their inclusion in an article that was exclusively written for the Daytime Emmy Program called The Royal Families of Television. The article was to be about four main families on the soaps that currently have story, and longtime ties to their respective shows, etc. NATAS insisted the article be named that way, and then I was granted permission to repost it online. How do you see, or position the Corinthos family within GH? I remember, Frank Valentini during his acceptance speech for GH’s Drama Series win at the Emmys, saying, “On behalf of the amazing cast led by Laura Wright (Carly) and Maurice Benard (Sonny) …”

JEAN:

I have to say, we don’t look at it that way. Obviously, they are hugely important to the show and the fans, but as far as how they rank? That’s not something we think about. We inherited happily some amazing actors, and a big family that has lots of tentacles to it: the overlap with the Quartermaines, and the overlap with Alexis, and the overlap with Jax. They are obviously very central and much at the core of the show. We didn’t pick Sonny’s profession! (Laughs)

MICHAEL:

Speaking of that, is it hard for you to write mob-centric stories? You inherited that from former GH head writer, Bob Guza. Mob stories are not what the two of you have been best-known for in your soap careers.

SHELLY:

Courtesy/ABC

Whatever the job the characters have on the show is their jobs. At other shows, they may talk about a business story, or a newspaper story. In the end, they are venues to play romance and family, and the kind of drama we do like to tell. In all honesty, the mob is not part of my personal experience. I can’t speak for you, Jean. (Laughs) We see the milieu as just a place to play the kinds of drama we want to play. They are at their heart stories about families, and stories about couples.

JEAN:

I have to say, that said, we certainly have reduced the amount of guns you have seen on GH. We have made an active, and vocal effort to do that. There comes a point though, in the story where you have to do that, and play the characters that you have.

MICHAEL:

The arms deal had to be difficult then to film and portray?

JEAN:

Courtesy/ABC

Yes, but the arms deal we made up to show how easy it is to get arms, and to make our statement through Carly.

MICHAEL:

Carly ripping the guns out of the large crates/boxes on the docks, was such a great scene, and added so much symbolism to the moment.

SHELLY:

Yes, that was a very important scene to us to have Carly, who has turned a blind eye and accepted this for so long, and have it really hit home for her. Again, the ease at which to get weapons like that, and that they can be distributed like that, is something that is horrifying to Jean and I, and we did want to portray that. When we are asked about a “mob story”, we try not to tell a mob story, but rather a story about people who happen to be in the mob.

MICHAEL:

Nina is a character you have been evolving and making changes to. When she first came on to the canvas she was really wacked-out mentally. Now you seem to be making her more real and palpable. She is now the editor-in-chief of Crimson. What do you see in her future after her complicated feelings and romance with Franco has gone south?

JEAN:

Courtesy/ABC

I think Nina has had sometime to recover from her terrible medical problems. She has proven herself to be capable, smart, inventive, and resilient. Nina has matured, is what I am saying. She came out of her coma with a lot to make up for, and with a maturity level that was much below her age. We are trying to continue to evolve her. She will have new fish to fry, and she will continue to be the editor of the magazine. And as Shelly was saying earlier, it has been our goal to integrate her more into the fabric of the show.

SHELLY:

Yes. We want to make Nina more of a complete and relatable character. We love Michelle Stafford. We feel she brings so much life and spirit, and we have been grounding the character much more, and to make her able to have a new relationship in the future with a man.

MICHAEL:

Courtesy/ABC

Andre (Anthony Montgomery) recently admitted he has feeling for Anna Devane. Are you ultimately going to put Finola with Anthony Montgomery as her next love interest?

SHELLY:

We like Finola with anybody … and we think she works with anybody! Thereto, we are telling a story for Jordan, and Vinessa Antoine (Jordan) is a wonderful actress as well. It will be interesting to see how that plays out. Anna at the moment has many, many things on her mind, and she has to free herself before she can completely get involved in a real relationship with a man again.

MICHAEL:

Lastly, please tell me you want Anna to FINALLY get justice on Julian for the murders of Duke and Carlos?

Courtesy/ABC

SHELLY:

Yes. We want her to get her justice!

So, what did you think of Shelly and Jean’s plans for GH’s summer storylines? Who’s arrival has your interest piqued the most? What couple, or current non-couple, do you hope has a serious romance heatwave overtake them in the months ahead? What are your thoughts on Shelly and Jean’s take on how they are crafting the current stories on the long-running ABC daytime drama series? Share your thoughts in the comment section below! (Note: to make a comment hit the “Leave a comment” text above the interview on the left, which takes you to the comment area)

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Great interview Michael, really sheds light on the future of this show. However, it is frightening to me. With these writers at the helm, this show is doomed

Reply

June 22, 2016 7:53 am

kathryn63

YOU GOT THAT RIGHT CARLEE THIS SHOW IS DOOMED IT IS JUST SOOOOOOO HORRIBLE ALL THE WAY AROUND NO MATTER HOW ARE WHICH WAY YOU LOOK AT IT! IT IS JUST BAAAAD! WITH THAT BEING SAID IT IS SOOOOOOO OBVIOUS THAT MELISSA(MA) NEEDS TO COME TO GH ASAP!! SHE WOULD BE SOOOOO PHENOMENAL & RE-UNITED WITH MICHAEL(ME)! I MISS THEM SOOOOOOO MUCH BEING SUCH A MASSIVE MA/ME/JOLIE FAN AS I AM! PLEASSSSSE FRANK(FV) BRING HER ON AS SARAH WEBBER SHE WOULD BE FANTASTIC!! OR THE LADY DOC MELISSA OR DAPHNE OR EVEN FINN’S WIFE(THAT IS) IF SHE ISN’T DEAD? SOOOOOOO MANY POSSIBILITIES!!! JUST BRING OUR MELISSA ON NOW (ASAP)!!!!

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June 22, 2016 8:51 pm

NoWay

NOOOOO!!! Michael Easton needs to remain MA free. That horrible pairing is one of the reasons that led to OLTL’s demise. Besides I am really liking his chemistry with Rebecca Budig. These two play off each other so well. More Fayden please thank you!

Reply

June 23, 2016 12:53 am

Sandra

Opinions will differ however I agree with Kathryn. Michael and Melissa rocked and would rock and bring it again, I have no doubt. As far as a single pairing contributing to the demise of a soap , that is absurd. OLTL’s pairings weren’t the issue truth be told.

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June 23, 2016 7:12 pm

blake

I’d LOVE to see Melissa Archer on GH and with Michael Easton again. They were hot together

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July 13, 2016 4:38 pm

pm7jc

ditto

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June 23, 2016 6:10 am

Kelsey

Great interview, Michael. It took me a while to adjust to their writing but I do like the pace of the show. Stories are a bit more character based as opposed to outlandish plots. My only critique is to develop a little more build up to some confrontations or moments to maxmize impact.

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June 28, 2016 12:28 am

conniemariearnols

michael easton is hott

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August 7, 2016 7:52 pm

Michele

Justice for Anna should be an alive Duke.

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June 22, 2016 7:57 am

clh

I agree, but the writers don’t do the hiring and firing, they write for the characters that others are responsible for hiring and firing.

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June 22, 2016 10:55 am

nancy dillingham

And they DO seem bound by what is already on the slate. Wish they would (or would be ALLOWED?) to lay down more of their own creative ideas–shake up the old “tried and true” formula. They say they write stories “of the heart,” but how do you write stories of the heart for characters who appear to have no heart? LOL!

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June 24, 2016 5:38 am

JMER

I hope that’s where they’re going with this eventually. For now, Anna being supported by family & longtime friends and Julian facing real consequences for the many years he harmed Duke & Anna will have to be enough.

The show is 100% better than it was a year ago. However, the writers are expected to fix what has been done to vets by the two previous regimes: one of those things is bringing Duke back alive and writing a proper reunion/story for DnA. It’s a lot to saddle these writers with but also a great opportunity! It’s the best gift to fans that a writer could possibly give.

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June 22, 2016 2:25 pm

nancy dillingham

Agreed!

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June 24, 2016 5:39 am

Jenn

That would be awesome! While for me, GH isn’t rush to get home and see TV anymore, I’d call in sick for that!

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June 22, 2016 3:03 pm

MissySnow

Justice for Anna should be her whooping Dr. O’s behind and having the woman put in prison for what she did to Robin.

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June 22, 2016 7:23 pm

Jessica

This. What happened to holding a grudge on this show. Anna should beat Dr O down a long time ago and. No way would Maxie be having conversations with Dr O either.

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June 23, 2016 4:34 pm

MissySnow

@Jessica, Dr. O worked best as the next GH villain who wore fierce hats and did all kinds of medical procedures that were NOT authorized or legal…lol I like the actress, but Dr. O should have been gone three years ago!

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June 24, 2016 3:12 am

Timmm

I agree. It is an absolute sin that women walks around GH and is allowed to practice medicine!

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June 29, 2016 8:31 am

MissySnow

Anna did not seek justice for what happened to Robin.

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June 22, 2016 7:35 pm

Michele

She put Faison in a hole. I think that was supposed to be it. To be fair, she also did not seek justice for Duke while he was alive. If she’d gone after Julian for breaking his WPP agreement, we wouldn’t be having this conversation.

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June 26, 2016 8:25 am

Lucky

Great interview. I’m most excited for Jasam’s summer adventure.

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June 22, 2016 7:57 am

nancy dillingham

So far it has been a real bust–ditto for the Ava and Nickolas “adventure.” So very dull–like watching paint peel. 🙁

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June 24, 2016 5:40 am

Jenn

Falling asleep during their adventure.

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June 30, 2016 8:15 am

Christine

give it time

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July 1, 2016 9:57 am

john

If I hadn’t made up my mind before, reading this definetly clinched it. GH is off my watch list this summer.

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June 22, 2016 7:58 am

Bobbie

It is the hottest time of the year and yet Sam and Jason run around in leather jackets!! Can’t you dress the characters according to the weather? They really look terrible. and no one walks around constantly in high heels, where is the casual look? The everyday look. Sam and Jason!!! Let’s end it, they are so unsuited . Really bad storyline.

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June 22, 2016 6:59 pm

MissySnow

How are we to tell Jason and Sam apart if their not dressed alike?! Bwhwahhahahah.

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June 22, 2016 7:24 pm

nancy dillingham

Yeah, what IS with the leather jackets–outward apparel belies the real people in them.

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June 24, 2016 5:41 am

Timmm

and the sets are embarrassing!

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June 29, 2016 8:32 am

Jenn

Sam’s wardrobe changes based on who she is paired with. If she was still with Patrick, as an example, I am positive she would not be wearing that stupid jacket in the summer but something more feminine. It would be nice, if Sam didn’t have to be morphed so drastically based on her pairing. It just makes her look like … dare I say … a con woman working her mark which, she has been written to have left that life behind. Just saying.

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June 30, 2016 8:18 am

Matt

They talk about characters and stories I don’t care for. Why was there no question about Laura, Kevin, Lucy, Tracy, Scott? I don’t look forward to the GH summer.

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June 22, 2016 8:25 am

nancy dillingham

Yes, I would rather see the Laura and Kevin adventure–alas, I’ve only seen them 3 times max. How can the story get up a head of steam with so much LACK of exposure? Sigh!

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June 24, 2016 5:42 am

Ces

I agree. I also really “liked” how they just moved right over Brad & Lucas and that they’ll use them whenever they get an opportunity to do so! SO, GH wanted to be PC and have them married for their BIG gay wedding and then write them off the canvas the next 3 months….. lame.

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June 25, 2016 12:26 pm

Timmm

Because its not 1981!

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June 29, 2016 8:33 am

KansasGuest

1) It’s not the subject’s job to write the questions for an interview. Take it up with Mr. Fairman if you don’t like the topics/subjects/characters that were discussed. 2) No soap will keep its audience if the only characters it concentrates on are the ones that were there 40 years ago. They would be appealing to a dwindling demographic. Any product sold to the public – like a tv show – needs to grow and increase its consumer base by adding new characters over time. Keeps things from getting stale. Do you still have tube television, listen to music from cassette tapes or wear Ditto jeans? Of course, not! You’ve moved on. Soaps have to stay current like everything else.

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July 1, 2016 8:58 am

Janeway

I would like to ask Jean and Shelly why they haven’t mentioned a very popular couple, Dante and Lulu, and what they have planned for them this summer. Two incredibly talented actors, Dominic Zamprogna and Emme Rylan, who play two very connected/ well liked characters, have had very little to do these past months. The promised Lante rebuild and romance has been sorely lacking. Spoilers tease that they have story coming soon, so why no mention in the article? I don’t think the writers seem to grasp how dissatisfied viewers are with the ever expanding cast and the ever decreasing screen time for their favs. I also don’t think they grasp the imbalance of the stories, the emphasis of some characters over all others, the over emphasis of the mob and the lack of fun and romance. The lack of integration of characters is confounding. There are numerous stories that Dante and Lulu should be involved in and their absence has me at a loss. Ready for the the #GHlSummerloving part to start.

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June 22, 2016 8:32 am

Markay

Thank you for your mention of my favs Dante and Lulu. Their writing has been awful ever since that woman was introduced last year. As you mentioned, they are connected and well liked. Why can’t they get a good story line and be seen more? I am sick of Nina, Franco, Ava, Hayden, Finn and that is who they are writing for right now. Introducing another character Claudette which will feature newbies again and yet another actor from OLTL and FV favorite. The writers and powers that be have their vision which they are trying to shove down the throats of their loyal viewers. The vets made GH and should be driving the storylines not a bunch of newbies who have no connections. They need to be more in touch with their viewers if GH is going to survive.

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June 23, 2016 2:03 pm

nancy dillingham

Agee–I also “am sick of Nina, Franco, Ava, Hayden, and Finn.” Agree again–“be more in touch with their viewers.”

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June 24, 2016 5:44 am

Ces

The only conversation they have for Dante & Lulu is when are they going to have another baby. That is such a yawn factor!! Who cares? Can’t they come up with another story for Dante & Lulu?

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June 25, 2016 12:28 pm

Timmm

Its a new day, change is inevitable!

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June 29, 2016 8:34 am

K

Agree- I’m also sick of Nina, Franco, Ava, Hayden, and Finn. And Nickolas has really changed for the worst. In fact there are no good feeling relationships on the show any more. I moved to GA after one life to Live went off the air. Now I only check in once in a while, and nothing much has changed to pull me back to watching the show regularly.

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July 14, 2016 1:46 pm

Timmm

Dante and Lulu are a snoozefest!

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June 29, 2016 8:33 am

Jenn

While they aren’t my favorite pairing, I agree 100% They have a huge following and should have brought up.

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June 30, 2016 8:18 am

Scoma60

Great interview Michael. I’m very excited by several storylines. I absolutely adore Franco/Liz. I never would have dreamed of them together but they are just great. Loved that Jelly realize that these two have issues (individually & as a couple) and that they intend to play those beats. There’s something so fresh & intriguing about them. Thank God they’re free from Jason & Nina. I love that they’re writing a hospital based story. I loved Tracy’s illness, the intro of Finn,& Monica as COS. I’m very intrigued by the murders. Finn is one of my faves but please keep Hayden away. She’s a drain opposite everyone. No one bought for a second she & Nik loved each other. I really like KiKi/Dillon but not if Morgan’s involved. I really need a Who Murdered Julian story.He’s a murdering thug who issued veiled threats & grabbed Alexis. Kill him now. My major complaints are the cast is way too large to manage. Stories get dropped for weeks (ex what happened to Jake on CI, Laura’s mystery). There are so many unneeded/unwanted characters-Nina,Paul,Julian,Hayden,Naomi,Aaron,Olivia,Claudette. Cut down & give Ned and Lucas contracts. My other main issue is how women are written as weak and/or demeaned. No way would Alexis take this abuse from Julian or Ava be sniveling while Sonny lamb blasts her.We want strong kick ass women. Lastly, I’m fed up with the entire show catering to all things Sonny. Anna & the PCPD confiding in him? Sonny threatening Ava and Alexis. The fact that Monica has yet to snatch him a new one for killing her son. Misogynistic mobsters are not romantic or heroic.

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June 22, 2016 8:38 am

nancy dillingham

I, for one, do NOT adore the Franco/Liz storyline. I like RH and RH–but not the characters they are playing now on GH.

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June 24, 2016 5:46 am

Mateo

I love seeing the insights of the writers and their points of view on all the characters they are apparently focusing on. I am not going to say I hate this idea or that idea. I am going to enjoy what is being put out because the cast sells it each and every time. I am not a fan of telling and retelling stories from the days of old. I like to honor the past but live in the present and GH does that. GH does right what DAYS can not seem to understand. I am all on board for GH.

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June 22, 2016 8:38 am

nancy dillingham

GH does NOT “honor the past”!

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June 24, 2016 5:46 am

Jenn

No GH certainly does not honor the past by rewriting history. I just about fell out of my chair when they wrote the scene where Liz began to tell her children the christmas story and the history behind her family telling it. In hind site, it would have made an amazing montage if they had allowed her to tell the entire story while showing everyone in PC spending time with their loved one since they did not do the historical hospital scene. Point is, I am shocked they remembered the characters (Liz) lineage.

History matters.

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June 30, 2016 8:23 am

Carrie Nauseda

Very disappointed! These writers are failing GH. Downplaying the mob is making the show boring!! Anna will get her payoff for Duke yet Jasam get nothing for what Liz and Nik did. GH is getting too soft! The cast is way too big the stretches in between s/l is terrible.Can’t even keep track of where s/l were left off!

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June 22, 2016 8:42 am

MissySnow

Elizabeth, Jason and Lucky did not get any payoff for what Sam did to baby Jake and karma is a …

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June 22, 2016 7:36 pm

Raiann

The Karma was Sam saved that child so he could still be alive today. While Lizzie sat at home whining. Jason seemed ok with Sam an so did Liz for that matter since Liz said she was FOREVER indebted to Sam for saving Jake

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June 23, 2016 7:49 am

Jenn

The viewers, did not get the payoff. I’d call in sick from work to see that come back into the story.

Liz was home being accused of hurting Jake because he was kidnapped while Sam watched – we all know this. She taunted Liz that they were the same now – Sam’s baby died and implied so was Jake. Hired thugs to scare them.

The Russians followed Sam and Liz to that cabin because Sam and Lucky were “investigating them. If Liz is forever indebted to Sam for saving Jake, Sam should be forever indebted to Liz for killing the Russian that night and saving Sam.

Again, the viewers, did not get the payoff. I’d call in sick from work to see that come back into the story.

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June 30, 2016 8:29 am

Christine

when is Liz gonna pay for what she did ….when she knew it was Jason for months and lied ,keeping him away from his family and loved ones for her own purpose

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July 1, 2016 10:02 am

MissySnow

@Christine, If Sam had been arrested and sent to prison back in 2007, there would be no need for Elizabeth’s lie.

@Raiain, There was no need for Sam to rescue Jake if she had not led the Russian’s directly to Elizabeth’s house. Sam and Lucky were meddling with Karpov, Jerry and the Russian’s, those two idiots are the ones that did not tell Elizabeth what they were doing until it was too late.

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July 1, 2016 11:31 am

MB

So they say that they created Finn for Easton. Didn’t Frank say that Finn came first and that Michael was perfect for it?

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June 22, 2016 8:46 am

MissySnow

Finn is just newbie #99 in a bloated cast.

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June 22, 2016 7:36 pm

nancy dillingham

Yeah, a very BIG disappointment–the Finn character. Who can warm up to such a silly, CONTRIVED storyline–and unsympathetic (could/SHOULD have been sympathetic) character. The actor deserves better–and, if he partially conceived the character, he should have done better!

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June 24, 2016 5:49 am

Sandy

Always interesting to have a peek inside the writers mind. Thank you. What I am looking forward to most is seeing Carly having a story and the writers seem to only speak of past stories for her. I am hoping she will have a part of the upcoming Jax’s return and the question of where did Joss’s kidney actually come from but these writers don’t seem to use Carly very often which is disappointing to this viewer. I love the whole Corinthos family. I also love Anna ( but hate her story), Nik ( still no idea why the sudden change to the dark side), Lucas, Brad , Jason, Sam. Tracy, Ned, Monica.

I turn the show off quite a bit lately as it seems there is plenty of story for Finn, Hayden ( and her upcoming family), Ava ( who is given yet again another story) , Franco none of which I have even the slightest interest in). I especially do not want to see Franco with Liz yet another of his victims.

New characters are vital to soaps but to have so much focus on so many is driving me away from the show.

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June 22, 2016 8:47 am

nancy dillingham

Right–plenty of story for Finn, Hayden, Ava, Franco–and, I echo your words, I have no interest in them–AT ALL–and cannot identify them in ANY way–thus feel no empathy for them.

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June 24, 2016 5:51 am

Sandy

I love Anna the most and I really hate Hayden!

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June 22, 2016 8:49 am

Stacey

Hayden is not my favorite either. Anna is great .

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June 22, 2016 7:21 pm

Christine

Love Hayden and Anna

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July 1, 2016 10:03 am

Jay Keaveny

Any chance of Ilene Kristen coming back as Delia?

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June 22, 2016 8:50 am

MissySnow

I love IK going back to Ryan’s Hope, but we don’t need any more characters on this show.

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June 22, 2016 7:38 pm

nancy dillingham

I agree! And IK has become such a CARICATURE–it’s painful to watch. She’s a good actress–and, again, deserves better.

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June 24, 2016 5:52 am

Timmm

For what?

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June 29, 2016 8:35 am

Lila

Thanks for the interview, now I know I can skipped gh this summer.

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June 22, 2016 8:51 am

MissySnow

Join the party!

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June 22, 2016 7:39 pm

JPB

John, mine too. After reading this, there’s no way I’ll waste another minute watching characters I could care less about.

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June 22, 2016 8:57 am

Amy

These writers are ruining this show & if Jax comes back for Joss & that breaks up Sonny & Carly I will be so mad stop marrying them & ending it months later u cant invest in anything on here they just rip it apart, Lucas & Brad r probably best couple & r never on, they redo same stories over & over this summer may determine if I finally give up on this show & I will be really grumpy w/out my Maurice

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June 22, 2016 9:04 am

Allforone

Is there some crazy reason you didn’t ask about Laura and Kevin. Ypu rehashed most of the stuff most of us know.

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June 22, 2016 9:07 am

nancy dillingham

Good question: Why DIDN”T the writers talk about the most favorite, iconic character Laura, played by beloved Genie Francis, who they were lucky to get back under contract–and Jon Lindstrom is no slouch; he and Genie have a natural rhythm together and an ease together that would make a great story “of the heart,” to use their words, but what are they concentrating on? Yeah, yeah, we know! So the cruel mobster Julian is their definition of telling a story “of the heart”?? GMAB!

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June 24, 2016 5:58 am

sus

It defies all reason. Genie and Jon have the chops, and their characters have history to tell a REAL story… but GH has turned into such a farce they have no clue how to touch anybody’s heart! They should just turn Genie and Jon loose, they could do better on their own than these writers could do for them!

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June 24, 2016 9:02 pm

Soaper

This show has way too many actors. Can’t stand the 30 second scenes for each story. You can’t get invested in a story with such short scenes. GH should get rid of half the cast. It’s ridiculous. Actors with their stories disappear for weeks and then reappear. FV needs to go.

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June 22, 2016 9:14 am

MissySnow

I enjoyed FV for a long time, but he his way out of touch and is too busy trying to build some mega-soap that encompasses every OUT of work actor in or out of the country!

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June 22, 2016 7:40 pm

Caitie

Yes, GH is beginning to feel like a home for unemployed soap actors.

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June 23, 2016 5:10 am

Markay

Especially if they were on OLTL. They are diluting the Gh brand with all these actors for another show.

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June 23, 2016 2:06 pm

Ces

I totally agree. Half these actors are recurring because GH won’t give them a contract, so if they cut 1/2 the cast, then they can have a contract!

I’ll start with unloading BORING ass Sabrina! #1 on my hit list. What is her purpose on this show? and cut that hair. #2 Hayden — she has no reason to be on this show

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June 25, 2016 12:31 pm

Vicki

Agreed

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June 26, 2016 6:54 pm

Perry

Ava, Morgan, Heather, Valeria,

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August 17, 2016 11:56 am

Mary

Tells me why GH is doomed

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June 22, 2016 9:17 am

sheri

Great Interview Michael. I Just wished you asked why they wrote Jason not remembering Elizabeth at all. I mean Liz did save his Life on more than one occasion. They have been friends for 17years. Had his 1st born Son.

I mean they have Jason going all over the Country to Save Nik, but he Can’t forgive Elizabeth

They have lost this #Over40YearViewerofGH until they Fix this Error.

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June 22, 2016 9:19 am

MissySnow

JaSam has been mandated by the network, so the writers can not show Jason around Elizabeth like we saw under Brian Frons. There is no chemistry between BM and KeMo!

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June 22, 2016 7:41 pm

nancy dillingham

Yes!

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June 24, 2016 5:59 am

Trish

My thoughts exactly!

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June 23, 2016 6:44 am

Robin

I am looking forward to the Huxley-Ava-Nikolas adventure as well as the kidney donation to Joss. I will never give up GH but Julian has to pay for the crime of killing Carlos and Ava needs to pay for Connie’s death

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June 22, 2016 9:19 am

MissySnow

Do we really care that Carlos a non entity is dead? Sonny killed AJ Quartermaine a legacy character in cold blood!

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June 22, 2016 7:42 pm

john

Did they talk about Laura????

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June 22, 2016 9:27 am

MissySnow

You mean Laura Spencer that saved this show under Gloria Monty?!

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June 22, 2016 7:43 pm

nancy dillingham

A big, fat NO!

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June 24, 2016 6:00 am

Debbie

Great interview! I’m really looking forward to learning more about Finn. The writers have me very intrigued. I’m also really psyched about the pairing of Liz and Franco and Dillon and Kiki. I think it’s going to be a great summer!

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June 22, 2016 9:35 am

Lou Piikes

GH needs a teen scene in order to attract a younger audience. Whether Summer, Spring, or Fall, it just needs to happen asap.

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June 22, 2016 9:36 am

MissySnow

Where are we going to find teens on this show? RoHo, ME, etc could have come on as legacy characters with their teens, but nooooooooooo!

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June 22, 2016 7:44 pm

nancy dillingham

For the LAST time–teens do NOT watch GH in any significant numbers anymore. We all know they are texting, etc., etc. They have NO time for a so-called “soap opera.” WHY can’t TPTB recognize such an obvious fact?

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June 24, 2016 6:02 am

lou piikes

If the storylines were current and relatable to teenagers, GH could capture a younger audience.

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June 25, 2016 1:11 am

nancy dillingham

But they DON”T attract a teen audience–just ask teens–they don’t know (or care) what you are talking about.

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June 24, 2016 6:05 am

sus

That’s JUST not how it works. It seemed pretty obviously to me how teens got introduced to GH… so I did some research .. upward of 70+ % of people who watch General Hospital were introduced to the show by someone of an older generation, their mom, grandma, aunt.. in my case my best friend growing ups mother. You do NOT get a teen audience by having a teen scene… you get a teen audience by catering to the older generation, your core viewers, you make them invested, happy, enjoying their show so they will introduce said show to their kids. I have a 15 and 13 year old.. by their age I was totally invested in GH.. I have not and will NOT introduce my girls to this drudgery! Back in the day I was inspired by the smart, successful women in Port Charles; doctors, lawyers, business woman, nurses, woman who had been through the ringer, and toughed it out, who had several handsome men.. worthy men (not gun toting murderers) interested in them. The relationship between Leslie and Laura drew me in. That was a mother/daughter team I could relate too. They don’t tell those stories now. What.. gonna have my girls turn in to see a bunch of idiot women throwing their kids under buses to sleep with gangsters… I can’t even watch.. don’t care….. so many characters I could give a damn about… ff the whole show pretty much. If the show was on, and I was perched the edge of my seat, I couldn’t keep the girls away, I would be excited to share it with them………….THAT’s how you make NEW Soap/GH viewers… the suits are CLUELESS!!! Every time they disenfranchise a core viewer, they toss away their new audience!

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June 24, 2016 8:58 pm

Ces

LOL Nancy!! Soaps won’t move fast enough for this techy world …. 😉 I personally do not want to see a TEEN on my show! Back in the good ol days ….. of DAYS & GH, I didn’t follow teens, I followed Bo & Hope & Luke & Laura; hardly TEENS! Even the teens weren’t teens. No thank you.

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June 25, 2016 12:33 pm

Timmm

Kids dont watch soaps anymore. EVERYTHING is on their pads and it usually involves Netflix or Amazon. Its over Lou!

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June 29, 2016 8:38 am

PattyJean

Thanks for the rousing update . . . I’m still not happy about such a big cast and, therefore, how slowly (and occasionally disjointedly) the storytelling progresses . . . By the way, I never did understand if Michael returned to his Corinthos roots, did he take back Sonny’s last name? And if so, why is Michael still living at the Quartermaine mansion? Finally, what happened to the medical clinic and the rehabbed neighborhood near the docks that Michael championed? Huh, huh, huh ???

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June 22, 2016 9:38 am

MissySnow

What happened to the brownstone that Morgan and Kiki (KA) worked on last summer?

Laura who? Oh, you mean the Laura that kept GH on the air under Gloria Monty?!

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June 22, 2016 7:46 pm

nancy dillingham

Yea, I’m with you MIssySnow!

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June 24, 2016 6:07 am

sus

They seem to not get they are writing for a show called General Hospital.. and Laura Spencer and Genie Francis ARE General Hospital!!! And when the suits at the network demand sonny, Jason, sam and carly… and leave Laura Spencer out in the cold… we realize how CLUELESS they are… and that “their” show needs to be cancelled. Ours will live in our mind forever.. and we will lament for those who never got to experience the greatness that was once General Hospital! And laugh at the ridiculousness that has existed in it’s name for way too long!

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June 24, 2016 8:50 pm

Robin Woolens

I don’t believe Jelly and Shelly are a good fit for GH, they don’t seem invested in who the characters are, they seem interested in changing them into their version, they seem to bring their personal opinions into their writing, I may not agree with them on social issues, so why should I have to watch my favorite soap be changed to into the personal political views.

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June 22, 2016 9:44 am

MissySnow

When writers show up that don’t know long time character history is where we the fans get cheated.

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June 22, 2016 7:47 pm

nancy dillingham

Fans cheated BIG TIME! 🙁

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June 24, 2016 6:07 am

LC

This article makes clear that there are way too many characters on the show right now.

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June 22, 2016 9:46 am

MissySnow

LOL. FV will add another fifteen characters before the end of the year.

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June 22, 2016 7:47 pm

Bee

All sounds good to me. Can’t wait. By the end of the summer, lots of story lines will be cleared up! Hopefully, lot of fun watching this too!

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June 22, 2016 9:49 am

nancy dillingham

“Lots of story lines will be cleared up”? That’s certainly an optimistic viewpoint. 🙂

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June 24, 2016 6:08 am

me3

I’ve finally had it. A very long interview half-filled with characters that have no business being on this show. Meanwhile the vets are not even mentioned, except for Anna. They clearly think they’re doing a wonderful job writing this mess and they seem to be in denial as to how the audience is receiving the show. What’s happening to Julexis is beyond where any couple should be taken if they hope to ever reconcile them. Hayden, Finn, Claudette and Nina should not be on the show at all. The cast is too large to keep up with, for us as fans as painfully, obviously so for this writing team.

But they have every right to continue to write the show as they were hired to do.

I also have a right to no longer subscribe to General Hospital. I don’t think this show will survive too much longer under this current regime. None of the folks in charge over there seem to understand that this show is on its last legs and they are doing every single thing we’ve seen other soaps do right before their peril. I cannot watch it’s slow death any more.

To all who continue to watch, good luck! I hope I’m wrong about their days being numbered. It’s just so obvious that they will continue to do as they have been, which is not getting this show to any better place.

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June 22, 2016 9:50 am

Jenna

They need to bring Melissa Archer on as well either as Claudette’s sister or Finn’s not so dead wife. Waiting and hoping for an MA and ME reunion at some point!,,,,,

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June 22, 2016 9:55 am

MissySnow

Oh, heck no! I like MA, but this show is bloated to the gills and we don’t need any more OLTL actors! I am a huge OLTL fan, but FV needs to stop hiring every actor that ever acted in their life!

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June 22, 2016 7:53 pm

NoWay

Agree, keep MA far away from ME and this show. She literally sucks the life right out of him.

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June 23, 2016 1:02 am

Jamie

Love Melissa. Love Michael and Melissa as well.

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June 22, 2016 9:34 pm

Sandra

I enjoy them also. I actually think Michael lights up with Melissa. Love them

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June 23, 2016 7:03 pm

Katie

Michael and Melissa rock!

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June 24, 2016 9:26 am

Ces

for the last time, this is NOT OLTL!!! Enough OLTL & AMC characters. Seriously!!! This is GH … let’s remember that??? already bloated.

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June 25, 2016 12:34 pm

Timmm

Ces is on it!

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June 29, 2016 8:40 am

Ces

I hope that’s a compliment? lol!! 😉

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June 29, 2016 4:22 pm

Elizabeth

Have they not noticed that SamJason have no spark? Their ‘great adventure’ is boring and they are Not romantic together. And their explanation of the current personality of Jason made no sense. He is not smart, not even kind. Can they please keep developing him so we can like him again.

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June 22, 2016 10:00 am

MissySnow

JaSam is mandated by the network, so who cares if they have any chemistry?

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June 22, 2016 7:53 pm

nancy dillingham

“Mandated by the network”? Wow, those suits need get in touch with the longtime, loyal fans and ask them a thing or two, don’t they?

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June 24, 2016 6:10 am

Timmm

Sleepy Miller is stealing money because he puts forward NO effort in his scenes!

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June 29, 2016 8:40 am

Christine

No chemistry him and Liz together is like watching paint dry < because there is history doesn't mean future and why would he forgive her for stealing his life? Is jake really his son ? First born second born does it matter the order.Him and Kelly are great together

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July 1, 2016 10:10 am

MissySnow

Dear Jean and Shelly,

Did you even stop to consider the fact that Elizabeth Imogene Webber was raped at the ate of fifteen in 1998 and there is no way that I want to see a teenage rape survivor with a man that had another teenager (Michael) raped in prison and raped Sam McCall? Maybe if the writers would actually learn the history of the characters it would be far easier to write a CHARACTER driven show.

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June 22, 2016 10:08 am

Beth CP

Not to mention that the original version of Franco (played by James Franco), kidnapped Aiden and gave him to his “mother” Betsy, to be subsequently rescued by Lucky. Maybe that’s why we’re not seeing that child along with Cam for fear that he might have a relapse…..

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June 22, 2016 9:45 pm

nancy dillingham

Yeah, guess the writers have “forgotten” that?!

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June 24, 2016 6:11 am

nancy dillingham

Hey, MissySnow–the voice of reason!

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June 24, 2016 6:11 am

sus

They don’t seem to want to know or care about OUR GH characters… the ones that make us watch this show, the reason we tune in daily… I suppose it’s too much work to actually know and care about history. Instead they perpetually introduce new characters that they can make their own, make up the history…. but then this show is no longer General Hospital, and then you alienate your long term fans, and then nobody gives a damn anymore, and even the hardest long term core viewers stop introducing the show to their kids, because there is nothing to be vested in, and eventually turn off themselves.. and GH dies a slow, painful, agonizing death.. with nobody able to even recognize it when it finally disappears.

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June 24, 2016 8:44 pm

Timmm

Franco should have stayed dead with JAMES Franco! He is scum!

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June 29, 2016 8:41 am

Niki

Keep Naxie together we really need to see a naxie wedding and for them to get married and not just have the wedding we need naxie to be happy together they belong together forever.

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June 22, 2016 10:19 am

MissySnow

Maxie and Nathan lost whatever chemistry that they had two years ago and are now so boring.

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June 22, 2016 7:54 pm

nancy dillingham

And certainly lost it when they suddenly violated Nathan’s character with this cooked up hokum about shooting his “wife’s” lover–whom he married for “convenience” and later fell in love with? Hey, GMAB, will ya???

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June 24, 2016 6:13 am

Susan

I agree. She is so much better with Spanelli, please bring him back for good, and put Spanelli and Maxi back together again, I have waited years for them, to do this. Then they can raise Georgie together.

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June 24, 2016 1:19 pm

Ces

I think both Nathan & Griffin both can go. They’re equally as boring! Bring back Spinelli — she lights up and they look like they’re actually having fun together.

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June 25, 2016 12:36 pm

Timmm

Yeah, I cannot wait to see Nathan sleep though another scene, especially up on the altar!

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June 29, 2016 8:42 am

Beverly Levy

The writers stated that they are going to let Jason and Sam be happy for now. Make that for now a very long time.

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June 22, 2016 10:25 am

MissySnow

Why? JaSam are so boring.

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June 22, 2016 7:55 pm

F

How nice that Michael Easton get to have a say in his 5th GH character. I’ll admit Finn does not bug me like Silas and the others (maybe because he is away from Sam) but the fact he was brought back and get to have a say is ridiculous no offense to Michael, who seem like a sweet, kind soul. Which also leads to the topic of contract/recurring characters. Characters like NINA, FRANCO, Hayden, Nathan, Dr. O should all be recurring they have no real connection to the canvas (spare me with Franco’s retcon parents) they so wanted RoHo to be part of the canvas they came up with this nonsense. First the try tying him to the Q’s as Jason’s twin. As if. When that didn’t work, it was crazy Heather and poor Scotty. Guess they knew Heather and Scotty’s fans wouldn’t riot.

Also, didn’t the writers in their last interview with you say that Franco and Liz were just friends? Now it’s “what if we went there”. All I can say is poor Liz another character being written out of character and twisted into a pretzel for this version of Franco.

I see they still refuse to admit that they bungled the Jason return story. The whole thing was trash and trash that was left out way too long. Instead it’s ” we never intended to give him his memory back”. First off, that was already done and quite well I might add. Second, what kind of story is that where a man is on his way home, excited to be reunited with his family only to be run over, looses his memory, and cut! End of story, ” he is a new person now”. They missed all the beats of the Jason return keeping him isolated with only one person from his past and even then the main thing about their relationship was a lie.

Blech. GH is doomed and is off my watch list/DVR for now and maybe forever. NOTHING interests me that is coming up. I love Jax but with these writers and Varni and Valentini I know he will be skewered once again so nope, not falling for it and am tuning out. “bye Felicia!”

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June 22, 2016 10:31 am

Freei

Great interview my suggestion go better keep JaSam together I’m just saying their the best couple on the show a lot a fans will lose interest if the hottest sexies couple are not together

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June 22, 2016 10:48 am

gaelyn thomson

jean was the head writer for ATWT and killed off DR Reid Oliver do not let her do that for GH let her go she will send GH to the Grave fire her before she has a chance with our boys like she did ATWT

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June 22, 2016 10:48 am

Rissa

Ummm…they want justice for a dead mobster, but no justice for AJ or the other innocents that Sonny, Franco, etc. have killed? Mmmkay. Whatever.

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June 22, 2016 10:50 am

MissySnow

Your post points out what is seriously wrong with this show.

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June 22, 2016 8:00 pm

nancy dillingham

Yeah, “whatever.” 🙁

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June 24, 2016 6:16 am

Justin

Wow, disappointing. I have reached that point where I have zero interest in this show. I don’t care about Finn, Hayden, Nina, Kiki, Morgan, seeing the Corinthos Family as a “royal family”. There was no mention of Laura, Kevin, Lucy, Bobbie or anyone that i care about. Wow, the new main characters are a bore. I am done.

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June 22, 2016 11:00 am

k/kay

Passante was on staff HW or Associate Writing when ATWT AW and OLTL were cancelled she is toxic why do these people keep getting jobs in daytime to further destroy the genre? Gosh though is their anybody that Becky Herbst does not have chemistry with ? Reading the phone book you relate she is natural and just is the it girl just keep her off the train of Sam & Jason! I love her chemistry with RH I still hate that they made him Franco but I really see him as a new character just has the name and for the first time since he came to the show I don’t feel he is doing stand up comedy I see different sides different emotions with Becky! You hear that RC and you were going to let them s fab actress walk get a grip she earned her soap stripes

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June 22, 2016 11:04 am

Laura

I think this interview highlighted that Jean and Shelly have a good thought process, but sometimes their execution of a story falls flat. I am hoping GH will shift the focus from the mob to the hospital. I am glad you (Michael) brought up the fact that fans were outraged over the Corinthos family being named GH’s “Royal Family.” Hopefully that will inspire them to give us a little more balance. It’s hard for some fans to watch Sonny being treated like the new Steve Hardy. He is an anti-hero. I think his popularity would go back up if GH chose to showcase him as a villain, but one who is worthy of love and friendship. The tirade he gave Alexis a few weeks ago in which he said; “You’re dead to me.” Was extremely hard to watch. Of course, that is all just my opinion. As far as couples go; I have been enjoying Dillon and Kiki. I don’t want to see a triangle with Morgan. I am under the impression that the Morgan/Kiki relationship is not popular at all. I have never seen one person say they like them. Of course this is only the online world of soaps, but I am still getting the sense that Dillon and Kiki have already gained more fans in a few months than Morgan and Kiki did in three years. I am also liking Kevin and Laura. I was sad there wasn’t any mention of them in the interview. JL and GF work very well together. I am a Jason and Sam fan, but I want better writing. They have cute moments every now and then, but give them a better story. They don’t need to be on the run, give them a story that places them on the backburner for the summer and we see them spending time with Danny and preparing for the next chapter in their life. Andre and Anna work much better than Andre and Jordan. Time to drop that charade. Franco and Liz… I personally don’t buy it. If they think they can make it work then they are obviously going to go for it, but I’m not so sure the audience will be convinced. I liked Julian and Alexis, but they have been ruined. I get the feeling it was all done for Sonny and his “hero” persona. Maybe I am wrong, but I am upset with the way this show treats characters that pose a threat to Sonny. Nathan and Maxie are a total bore. I don’t think Claudette is needed, at all. Just end them and give Maxie a worthy love interest. I was loving the spark that Maura West and Tyler Christopher had. I hope to see their story continue, even with the temporary Nikolas. All in all, GH needs some work. I think that a more balanced show would be a step in the right direction. Try to play couples more evenly and give us sweet, classic romance. We don’t need… Read more »

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June 22, 2016 11:08 am

nancy dillingham

Yes, bravo to Michael for speaking for the fans’ outrage about the Corinthos family being named GH’s “Royal Family.” (GAG!)

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June 24, 2016 6:19 am

Ces

you mean the Do-Gooders of PC ? Self-righteous ? I like both actors, but the characters are turning into sanctimonious nuisances. Why in hell would Anna ever tell Sonny what is going on at the PCPD? He’s a mobster for god’s sake!

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June 25, 2016 12:38 pm

nancy dillingham

I’m wondering if anyone is capable of writing a “sweet, classic romance.” It’s just slam bam, thank you ma’am today. And don’t bat an eye while you’re doing it!

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June 24, 2016 6:20 am

alistaircrane

No mention of Laura, her mystery, or her burgeoning relationship with Kevin? She’s the only reason I’m watching GH.

Me too… the reason I started watching GH… and the ONLY reason I tolerate the ridiculousness that GH is now… Laura Spencer! Please give this great actress and character we care about, and a GH legend a story! (This is GH if you haven’t forgotten!)

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June 24, 2016 8:36 pm

Marianne

Enjoyed the interview Michael . Hope we get to see more meaty stories with more character development. And yes, I would love to see Melissa Archer brought on board.

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June 22, 2016 11:25 am

Stacey

I would too Marianne. Love MA and ME.

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June 22, 2016 7:18 pm

Missy

I agree would love to see Melissa join GH.

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June 22, 2016 9:31 pm

MissySnow

No! I like MA, but why does every out of work OLTL actor or actors in general have to end up on this show?! The show is bloated with FV hiring everyone he comes in contact with and I am really, really, tired of it!

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June 22, 2016 8:02 pm

Jamie

There are many actors that aren’t being utilized on GH I concur. I personally don’t care for Nina, Kiki and others. It seems that the plan was to bring Melissa onboard a few years ago however PP derailed that. MA and ME have great chemistry whether they are arguing, talking or doing what they do best ,loving. I enjoy them immensely and would love to see them interact again.

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June 23, 2016 4:43 am

Elizabeth

NOT ONE WORD about Genie Francis. SO much for that actor on contract.

And, I just don’t get the cluenessness around pairing Franco with women who should despise him. I guess it wasn’t enough to ruin Carly, now they have to denigrate Liz.

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June 22, 2016 11:38 am

MissySnow

Franco bombed from the very beginning, so let’s stick him with another popular GH vet. RC and FV should have never cast Roho as Franco in the first place and it is the fans of this show that have to suffer their mistakes.

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June 22, 2016 8:03 pm

nancy dillingham

Amen!

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June 24, 2016 6:22 am

nancy dillingham

Yeah, what a shame!

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June 24, 2016 6:23 am

Chris

Sadly, it’s no surprise to me that younger viewers in the daytime audience continue to tune away from GH and the other soaps. Honestly IMO, daytime soaps will be doomed if these shows/networks are unable/unwilling to bring in some new blood behind the scenes. How about some young, up-and-coming writers with some fresh ideas for storylines that are not stuck in 1986, a la these two women above? Same old recycled writers with the same old recycled storylines.

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June 22, 2016 11:39 am

Timmm

Teens dont even know what the word “Soap Opera” means! Its over!

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June 29, 2016 8:45 am

TinaP

Great interview but enough justice for Anna, let’s move her on already. “Anna at the moment has many, many things on her mind, and she has to free herself before she can completely get involved in a real relationship with a man again.” Enough of this, free her and move her on to a REAL RELATIONSHIP with a NEW MAN already! Give her back her smarts, her spunk and her strength, she is ANNA freaking DEVANE, no one will ever compare or replace her no matter how much they try. Love watching her scenes with Richard Burgi’s Paul, lets have more of them please. Hope Finola’s leave is a very short one and when Anna returns on screen she is that strong kick butt I remember oh so well!

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June 22, 2016 12:39 pm

MissySnow

I don’t remember Anna getting any justice from when Robin was kidnapped by Dr. O, Helena, Jerry, but somehow she’s trying to get justice for mobster, Duke Lavery?!

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June 22, 2016 8:04 pm

TinaP

Tell me about it! Justice for Robin or how about Justice for Anna and the years she spent away from her child not knowing who she was! So many other more important things Anna needs justice for. Justice for Duke, please?! Move Anna ON!

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June 22, 2016 8:51 pm

MissySnow

@TinaP, I did not like RC killing off Duke in the first place. However, to have Anna go BSC to find Duke’s killer is a slap in the face to Robin.

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June 23, 2016 5:27 am

Shelby

So it looks like they are riding and dying on the character of Nina and all the other failed newbies and all the other newbies yet to come. So Im guessing 2017 is basically it for this show. Well it will be a sad epitaph for this once great show, that the worst writers ever are closing the lights.

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June 22, 2016 1:19 pm

Jennifer

Nina is one of the worse characters ever. There truly is NO reason for her to be on this show. Ugh!!!

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June 22, 2016 7:32 pm

Markay

Not a fan of Nina before but this week sealed the deal for me. I don’t watch GH to see OLTL actors and newbies every day. She serves no purpose. She is turning Crimson into a smut magazine instead of a fashion magazine. She and Finn can leave town and take Ava, Hayden and Valerie with them.

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June 25, 2016 4:50 pm

jaybird369

Jennifer, oh I agree!!!!! Whenever I think of the character ‘Nina’, I think of Nina Webster…my ALL-TIME FAVORITE Y&R character!!!!! GH’S Nina Clay…not so much. N-o-p-e.

Have a good one, Jennifer.

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June 26, 2016 10:08 pm

Kathryn63

YOU ARE SOOOO RIGHT CANNOT STAND NINA.HAYDEN BARNES, FRANCO,AVA,JULIAN,THE NEW BILLY & SAM TOGETHER THEY ARE SOOOO AWFUL!!!!! WITH THAT BEING SAID PLEASE,PLEASE PLEASE FV BRING OUR MELISSA ON BOARD ASAP TO BE REUNITED WITH MICHAEL WE MA/ME/JOLIE FANS HAVE WAITED LONG ENOUGH AND ARE BEING VERRRRY PATIENT! MAKE IT HAPPEN ALREADY! AS REIKO(FINN’S/ME’S WIFE),MELISSA THE LADY DOC, OR SARAH WEBBER. ANYONE I DON’T CARE JUST GET HER ON BOARD & OF COURSE A ROLE WORTHY OF HER TALENTS! PLEASE!!!!

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November 14, 2016 10:44 pm

Stephanie

Cannot stand Nina at all!

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June 22, 2016 8:10 pm

Katie

Nina sucks! Cannot stand the character

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June 24, 2016 9:27 am

Timmm

Phyllis “Light!”

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June 29, 2016 8:46 am

Iris

I love the story lines I just wish they wouldn’t be carried out for so long.I hope you could get off one story quicker and move to the next one.

This Week On GH: Laura Sees Kevin, Shiloh Makes His Move On Sam, Carly is Pregnant

February 18, 2019

This week on General Hospital, Carly (Laura Wright) learns the official word that she is pregnant. Shiloh (Coby Ryan McLaughlin) ratchets up his evil plan against Sam (Kelly Monaco), and Laura (Genie Francis) sees Kevin (Jon Lindstrom) alive at Ferncliff, and if you watched Monday’s episode of GH, you saw that Ryan knocked out Laura after she saw Kevin!

So, what will happen now that Carly is pregnant? Will she have the child? What exactly is Shiloh’s plan and what will it ultimately mean for Sam, Jason, Kristina and others?

Which story on GH has piqued your interest the most? Watch this week’s promo from ABC below and then weigh-in via the comment section below.

In duel ceremonies currently underway in both Los Angeles and New York, the Writers Guild of America is handing out the 71st annual WGA Awards for excellence in writing in the fields of motion picture and television at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. and at the Edison Ballroom in New York City.

Already given out and announced was the winner in the Daytime Drama category and the winning writing team was ABCs General Hospital which bested the only other nominees in the category, Days of our Lives.

Congratulations to the team from Port Charles and General Hospital on their WGA Award win. So, what do you think of GH besting DAYS? Glad the ABC daytime drama won? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

Ingo Rademacher Back To General Hospital As Jax

February 14, 2019

What a fun reveal by General Hospital and Ingo Rademacher! And with that, look who’s coming home to Port Charles? Hot on the heels of his stop over at The Bold and the Beautiful where he took over the role of Thorne Forrester, the GH fan favorite is back at his old stomping grounds.

In the video teaser, Jax and Carly’s (Laura Wright) last goodbye scene plays, which aired the last time Ingo was on GH, and then the camera pans to the back of a man’s head watching the TV

“Oh, come on! Well, that can’t be the end. Cause it’s not,” says the guy. In true soap opera fashion, the camera reveals it’s Rademacher who states: “I’m coming back to General Hospital and Jax’s legacy is going to continue in a big way. See you soon.”

So, will Jax be back in Carly’s arms or someone else’s? What will happen when Josslyn (Eden McCoy) reunites with her father? Will Jax be involved in a major mystery? Share your thoughts on Ingo’s return to GH via the comment section below. But first, check out the teaser video that contained this exciting cast addition announcement.